Kenny Shiels: No prejudice, no bigotry.. I want to make Kilmarnock the People's Club of Scotland

KENNY SHIELS kept two plastic squirrels in his pocket as he signed his new Kilmarnock contract.

KENNY SHIELS kept two plastic squirrels in his pocket as he signed his new Kilmarnock contract.

That was a nod to the club’s historic crest but, more importantly for Shiels, the figures had been handed to him by daughters Lauren and Grace on a recent trip home to Northern Ireland.

And as the ink dried on his two-year deal it was clear that family is at the heart of what he’s trying to achieve at Rugby Park.

At the end of a season where son Dean dazzled for Killie and midfielder Liam Kelly lost his father at Hampden following the League Cup triumph over Celtic, Shiels knows all about family values.

And as he outlined his long-term vision he revealed he wants Kilmarnock to become the “People’s Club” of Scotland.

Just 40 minutes along the M77, they aren’t far away from Glasgow’s big two.

But Shiels believes Killie can offer a unique alternative to the Old Firm for parents – a local club free of racism, bigotry and prejudice.

The 56-year-old said: “Two years is only the first part of what I want to achieve here. It’s the preliminary stage of my long-term project.

“I have enough integrity about me that I want to leave a legacy at the club. I’ve always been like that.

“If something happens to me, like I’m not doing my job properly for the first team, I want good stability underneath. That’s important.

“It’s the honest and honourable thing to do. I’ve worked under so many managers who haven’t done that. At every club I go to I build long-term branches that will bear fruit even if I’m not there.

“The first part of it is to convince and encourage parents that this is a good place to send boys and girls – whether it be to watch the team play or to become a youth player here.

“They have to understand Kilmarnock have a great history that they should be proud of. This club is free from prejudice, racism and bigotry.

“It has so much going for it. If I can get 60 per cent of the football population in the area to support their local club it would be a fantastic achievement.

“We are a West of Scotland club with no baggage. If you’re a good parent and want to bring your children up in a way where they understand values and morals then we have a local industry here where they can come and have a fun time.

“It doesn’t stink of other external influences and if those parents send them to Kilmarnock it would be a good choice.

“I’ve been made manager of what I call the People’s Club and I’m delighted to be here. The other influences which are prevalent in Scottish football could probably affect my job but I try not to get bogged down in it.

“The most important thing in life for any individual isn’t to try and be better than someone else. It’s to fulfil your own maximum potential. If we all do that as a family and club then we will have done everything in our control.”

It has been a season mixed with glory and sadness for Kilmarnock.

Picking up silverware at Hampden for the first time in 15 years was followed by the shocking death of midfielder Kelly’s dad Jack in the stand.

But that tragedy brought Shiels, his players, the supporters and an entire community closer together. And that’s exactly what he wants to foster in the next couple of years.

He said: “I have to make the public know we are receptive and that there’s a warmth and friendliness about this place. That’s part of achieving results on the pitch, believe it or not.

“It’s all part of becoming a better person. I also want the people who work for me to become better. The big part of that is the players. If we work to our principles but don’t win a trophy or finish in the top six next season it might still be a successful year.

“More importantly, we want the crowds back and we want them entertained. We measure success too much by its totality on the pitch. What happens to the club and the people around it is important.

“Liam losing his dad didn’t change me as a person, hopefully I’m still the same. But it can change us as a club when we become even more of a family. That can have a significant impact on how we progress.

“I want to bring better people into the club and go on in a better manner.

“I really want us to be known as the People’s Club. I want us to provide for and connect with the people of Kilmarnock.

“We should use adversity and the closure of industries in our town as a vehicle to bring us together and take us forward.”

Shiels admits it will be near impossible to top the campaign they have just experienced – winning a trophy and finishing seventh in the SPL.

The Rugby Park gaffer believes Killie pulled off a miracle but thinks they can build on it with him at the helm.

He said: “What we accomplished was bordering on miraculous. I had been told you don’t beat the Old Firm in a final. You might beat them in the quarters or semis but not a final.

“So what our lads achieved was remarkable when you consider we had been signing them from York, Luton and Yeovil. Our achievements have been the most enormous of any Scottish club this term. A provincial, non-city club winning a trophy is unheard of in recent times.

“We can’t set challenges that are above us but if we keep trying to be as good as we can then we’ll have no failures.”